Kissing Away Cavities
As you smooch your loved one this Valentine’s Day, you are not only strengthening your relationship, but also preventing tooth decay. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, kissing stimulates saliva, which cleanses the mouth and assists in uprooting cavity-causing food particles that collect after eating. Kisses have been called nature’s cleansing process.
Benefits of Kissing and Saliva
Deep kissing boosts saliva flow and keeps the mouth, teeth and gums healthy. Tooth decay can occur if bacteria in plaque mix with sugars and food starches which remains on the teeth. Saliva stops this through:
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neutralizing acids
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re-mineralizing teeth, which prevents tooth erosion
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flushing away food particles and bacteria that can lead to cavities
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fights bacteria, viruses and fungi
Dry mouth can also be prevented through kissing. Dry mouth is when you have a sticky, dry feeling in the mouth because of a lack of saliva. It can increase the risk of gingivitis, tooth decay and mouth infections. Many people get dry mouth by taking certain medications that reduce saliva flow. You can help your loved one return their saliva through a nice kiss. Another great benefit of kissing is that a 60 second kiss burns 26 calories. So lock lips with that special someone and burn calories at the same time.
Watch Out Who You Kiss
Even though kissing does help your dental hygiene, it can also transmit a small number of disease-causing bacteria through the mouth, such as:
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Colds
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Mononucleosis
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Herpes, which causes cold sores
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Hepatitis B
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Mouth warts
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Meningitis
But don’t let that stop you from kissing. Most of the bacteria transferred during a kiss won’t cause the disease, and the risk of contracting a serious disease is small. Make sure you know if your loved one has any of these infections before you kiss and practice these tips:
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Avoid kissing when the other person is sick.
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Don’t pucker up if you have an active cold sore around the lips or in the mouth.
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Make sure you have all your immunizations, so you don’t contract and spread infectious diseases.
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Maintain biannually checkups, brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily.
The benefits of kissing outweigh the risks, so don’t be shy this valentines and pucker up. So after your Valentine’s dinner and savoring your box of chocolates, give your loved one the gift of a cavity-fighting, calorie burning kiss.
